


Dichotomy

by DonnaLynn



Category: Dark Angel (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Language, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23881966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DonnaLynn/pseuds/DonnaLynn
Summary: Alternate version from “Love Among the Runes" when Max confesses to Alec she told Logan they were together to push him away. How Alec could have handled the situation.
Relationships: Logan Cale | Eyes Only/Max Guevara | X5-452, Max Guevara | X5-452/Alec McDowell | X5-494
Comments: 9
Kudos: 19





	Dichotomy

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: Even back when Dark Angel was airing new episodes and people were writing many stories about it I don’t recall seeing a version like this.
> 
> On another note, when this series was airing I was an avid fan fiction writer and had many Dark Angel stories under my belt but have since discarded due to personal reasons. I wrote stories called “Escape and Evade", “The Grand Scheme of Things", “Something Greater", “Magnificent”, I did a lot of missing scene, deleted scene, extended scene type stories or contemplations. I also had a story called “Contemplate This".
> 
> Anyhow, I always hated (even though I didn’t like Max/Logan and LOVED Max/Alec) the fact Alec didn’t tell on Max to Logan, he should have because poor Alec was always being blamed for something and Max was always taking out her issues on him.

Arriving back to Terminal City with the computer equipment Logan needed in hand. Max struggled to figure out how to get it over to him. She didn’t want to take it herself, and she didn’t want Alec going with the lie she made up and not having even let him in on it, or admitted she did something so low, but at the same time figuring Alec might just shrug it off.

“We gotta get this over to Logan right away.” She mused aloud, thinking, not realizing Alec would likely volunteer himself.

Which is exactly what he did.

Whether either of them realized it they were both somewhat touching, holding the bag with the equipment. Alec didn’t think twice to take it having no idea Max had drug him into the middle of her boyfriend / not boyfriend drama, which he felt constantly nauseated by. However she was right, in order to help them out Logan needed the equipment. “Can’t really send any of the mutant parade so, I’ll do it.” He went to hoist the bag up but Max was quick to keep it.

“You don’t have too.” Her voice was somewhat calm but the demeanor of her body and facial expression said otherwise.

She did not want the two men around one another at the moment.

Alec gave her a somewhat perplexed look, hands held out a little. “I don’t mind.” Somewhat genuine even though if it weren’t for the importance of it he wouldn’t have bothered honestly.

“I can ask Biggs to bring it when he gets here.” She retorted rather quickly. Now she was screaming, figuratively, she didn’t want Alec doing it.

By now Alec knew something was going on he just couldn’t figure out what. “Okay, I understand why you don’t want to go over there, but I can do it. I mean, the sooner he gets it the better right.” He made to pick it up again but she quickly slammed it back down.

“Leave it.” She insisted, almost pleading.

“What’s your problem?” he point blank asked not liking her behavior one bit, but he didn’t have any idea it was what she was about to tell him.

Max had the decency to look somewhat sheepish. Knowing what she was about to say wasn’t going to be in her favor in any way. “I guess you’re going to find out sooner or later.” She paused to swallow. “I told Logan you and me were together.” Her eyes boring into his, pleading for him to understand.

Alec looked at her like she had grown another head. “What?” He couldn’t have heard her right. Did she just say she told Logan, her not-boyfriend because of a virus and a year of stupid pining over each other, that she and Alec were together?

What the fuck Max!

“I’m sorry I had to.” She feebly explained. Even hearing herself she knew it wasn’t an excuse and if he got mad she knew she wouldn’t be able to refute.

“Are you kidding me?” By now they were too focused on one another to notice some people around the room looking their way.

“This virus thing isn’t going anywhere and I can’t afford anymore accidents.” Sounding like it would explain her childish behavior away and he couldn’t get angry at her. Even though if the roles were reversed she would have already ripped his head off.

Alec scoffed lightly, looking away a moment before focusing his attention on her again. “Why do you have to drag me into it?” A bit of aggravation in his words.

“I had to push him away.” She insisted, begging him to understand her predicament.

“Yeah so blame Alec, cause he’s just the kind of jerk that would steal another guys girl.” Nearly seething the words he was so disgusted. Seriously, he felt sick at his stomach. The fact she assumed he would be okay with this and that that’s exactly how she presumed people would think, especially Logan.

“Please don’t.” It was the only time Alec had ever heard her truly beg. Even more so than the time she came to his apartment begging him to help her find a rogue Gossamar.

He snatched the bag up on his shoulder. Noting the sag in her posture and the sunken look on her face. “Max whatever's going on with you and Logan has nothing to do with me okay. I’m not going to be the bad guy.” Holding out his right hand to make his point that he didn’t care how much she pouted or stomped he wasn’t going to let her use him like that.

Before she could say anything he stepped around her and put distance between them before he exploded.

The whole ride over to Logan’s, well Joshua’s place, he muled over her words. It was clear he valued their relationship more than she did. To be honest he didn’t know why he stayed in Seattle. Every single day he woke up he was ready to leave, move on to a different place, but he talked himself out of it every morning. It would he harder to do now with Terminal City going on. Other transgenics coming into town, needing a place to haul up.

Not much later Alec showed up at Joshua’s old place where Logan was now living since Joshua was in Terminal City. Entering the house through the front door, back pack over his shoulder Alec slowly made his way inside. The tension in his body annoying to say the least. It wasn’t his problem if Max couldn’t handle her relationship with Logan.

Coming into view of the living room he spotted the older man literally busting wood in the fireplace with his legs. He guessed that exo-suit came in more handy than he thought.

“Hey…” Announcing his presence to the other man.

Without looking away from the wood and fireplace Logan acknowledged him back with the same greeting. 

“Thought you didn’t need that thing to walk anymore?” referring to the exo-legs, and to make basic conversation before informing him that his non-x-girlfriend is under the impression she can tell people she had been dating Alec and he was a piece of shit.

“I don’t.” Logan was propping piece of 4x4 against the fireplace and using his legs to break them up to put them in the fire.

Neat, Alec supposed. “So is it more like an enhancer thing?” already knowing that was the case, again, just making conversation. Why was he trying to avoid telling Logan Max was full of it? “I uh, got that computer hardware you wanted.”

Logan still hadn’t even looked up from what he was doing to even look at Alec. Probably because he wanted to use those enhanced legs to kick the shit out of him instead of looking at him. Alec couldn’t blame the guy. If he were in his shoes he had no idea how he would react he just knew he wouldn’t like it. Then again, Alec barely liked himself on any given day much less have any more than an acquaintance with anyone else, except Max. Though Alec was pretty sure she really seen him as nothing more a familiar face that she felt an obligation too because of Ben, and the fact he was transgenic and an X5 like her. No, Alec doubted Max had any sort of emotion deeper than decency for him. He on the other hand felt a connection to Max he just didn’t know what it was. What he felt toward her he didn’t feel toward anyone else ever.

He reached up and scratched the back of his neck, setting the bag of hardware down easily. “Listen…this thing with Max and I…” but Logan cut him off.

“…yeah she told me. If you’re here to apologize or give me some kind of explanation about how it happened I’m not real interested.” He broke another piece of wood, tossing it into the fire. Think he was just tense because the fireplace was pretty full and he just kept stacking the wood.

Alec stared at Logan for a long moment. He didn’t know the man very well but he knew he loved Max. Loved her enough that even if it were true and she and Alec were together, he wouldn’t get in her way of happiness.

“No Logan you got it all wrong. Max and I aren’t together.” Alec came out with it, a sense of relief washing over him. “I don’t know how or when she told you we were but the only reason she said we were was because she’s scared man. Scared of another accident with the virus, and the next, and the next, she just…” Alec paused to lick his lips and take a deep breath. “…I know Max well enough to know she will protect those closest to her no matter what. Even if that means they would hate her the rest of her life…but we both know no one that’s ever cared for Max could ever hate her.” Telling Logan didn’t feel like he thought it would. Yes, he felt a little bad for throwing Max back into a situation she was running from, but that’s what she did, she ran from all her problems. But on the other hand he felt relieved for his own benefit. Not that he cared if Logan liked him or not, no, he was pretty sure Logan merely tolerated him.

Logan had been standing, looking into the fire for a long while before turning to face Alec. “I saw the two of you.” There was no accusatory tone or malice to his voice, just the truth.

Alec just looked at him, his face blank but his mind reeling trying to figure out what he was talking about. When it hit him.

“I saw you leaving her apartment last week…that morning…” Logan sliding his hands into his pockets.

Was he not believing Alec?

Alec shook his head, taking a few steps closer but still a fair distance between them. “You got it wrong Logan, yeah I did stay at Max’s that night because she had to break me out of jail for a crime Ben, my psycho twin committed years before.” He wouldn’t go into the conversation between them because frankly it was none of his business. That was something between Alec and Max. “She let me crash on the couch because I couldn’t go back to my apartment. When I left in the morning I came here..” he motioned around, looking Logan in the eye, he told him the truth.

Logan just stared back, giving nothing to what he was thinking away.

Suddenly, Alec didn’t feel the need to try and convince Logan he hadn’t taken Max from him. That she was doing what she felt she needed to do to protect him. She was notorious for pushing people away, running she’s literally been doing it since she escaped Manticore.

“Look…” taking a deep breath, letting it out quickly. “…I get you and Max have been through a lot together but maybe…” he didn’t know if he should say what he wanted to say. “…maybe you should let her go, not just for her, but for you. And I’m not even saying you still shouldn’t look for the cure just…is that really what’s been keeping you two apart?” he may have went to far but it had been bottled up inside for months now. “Sorry, it’s none of my business I just wanted it known that I wasn’t the asshole in this situation its actually Max this time.” Stepping back, his hand patted the bag he brought and he turned and made his way out of the house without a word or response from Logan.


End file.
